Bustle



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

T. P. TAYLOR.

BUSTLE.

No. 361,336. Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

62am I WWJ ZW /ZWWZQ 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

(No, Mode l.)

T. P. TAYLOR.

.No. 361,336. Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

M PETERS.'Pholoimwgmphen Washington. D, C.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS I. TAYLOR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,336, dated April 19, 1887. Application filed November 5, 1886. Serial No. 218,033. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Bustles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to produce a light, cheap, and adjustable bustle. With these ends in view, I have devised the simple and novel construction, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Heretofore certain styles of high-priced bustles have been made partially adjustable by means of lacings across the back. This system, however, does not give a complete ad justment, and, moreover, the general arrangement has been too expensive for use in the cheaper grades of bustles.

My improved construction enables me to adjust any portion of the bustle in either direction, and, furthermore, when the cords are loosened permits of its being laid out flat, so that bustles of this class may be packed for transportation or in traveling in a fraction of the space that has heretoforebeen required for all classes of bustles, without independent boxes and without the slightest possibility of their being damaged in transit.

In the drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 are perspectives illustrating different modes in which I have carried myinvention into effect. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing one style laid out flat, the cords being loosened; and Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating another form of stay or steel which maybe used, if preferred. I

My improved bustle consists of three elements only, viz: two or more ribs, which may be ordinary corset stays or steels having eyelets or eyes laid across each other and riveted together, lacing-cords by which the stays or steels are drawn up, and a belt by which the bustle is attached in place.

1 denotes the ribs of the bustle, made of any ordinary spring material. In practice, I preferably use ordinary corset stays or steels,

which are manufactured in such enormous quantities as to reduce the cost of single stays to a meretrifie. In the drawings I have shown stays of the class known as twin stays, which consist of two narrow steels held parallel to each other a short distance apart by wrappings of paper or textile material, which are pasted to. the steels and to each other, eyelets being provided at the center of the stay between the steels; or, if preferred, solid steels may be used provided with eyes made of wire, as indicated in Fig. 5.

2 is a belt, ordinarily made of textile material, to which two of the ribs are attached, preferably by flexible connections 3.

Any number of ribs may be used. In the drawings I have shown bustles provided with two, three, and four ribs. It will be noticed that these ribs are secured together at their points of intersection by rivets 4, and that all side pieces and linings are dispensed with. Linings may be used, however, if preferred. In practice, these rivets may be either fixed or loose. I preferably, however, it being the simplest form, rivet the ribs firmly together so that they will not slide on each other, and instead of closing the ribs together in packing, which would of course require detachment of the belt, I allow the ribs to spring out fiat, as in Fig. 4.

5 denotes cords, which extend from rib to rib, passing through the eyesor eyelets.

It will be apparent that my improved bustle may be so laced as to give it any desired shape, as the tighter the cords are drawn the greater will be the curvature imparted to the ribs. In packing for transportation the cords are loosened, which allows the ribs to instantly resume their normal position, so that the entire bustle will lie out fiat.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1.. An adjustable bustle composed of spring ribs which cross each other and are firmly secured at their points of intersection, and lacingcords which extend from rib to rib, whereby the curvature of any portion of the bustle may be adjusted, and when said cords are loosened the entire bustle will lie out flat.

2. An adjustable bustle consisting of ribs which cross each other and are provided with eyes or eyelets, rivets 4, which secure said ribs together at their points of intersection, lacing-cords between the ribs, whereby they are given any desired curvature in use, a belt, and flexible connections joining two of the ribs thereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

A. M. Woosrrnn, C. E. RUGGLES. 

